Antiseptic mouthpiece for telephones or the like.



No.790.241. PATENTED MAY 16, 1905.

w. WRIGHT. ANTISBPTIO MOUTHPIEOE FOR TELBPHONES OR THE LIKE.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 12, 1904. RENEWED APE. 21.1905.

Patented May 16, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER WRIGHT, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ANTISEPTIC MOUTHPIECE FOR TELEPHONES OR THE LIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,241, dated May 16, 1905.

Application filed May 12, 190 1. Renewed April 21, 1905. Serial No. 256,800. 4

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WALTER WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Antiseptic Mouthpieces for Telephones or the Like, of which the following is a specification. 7

My invention relates to an improved antiseptic mouthpiece for telephones andthe like, the object of my invention being to provide a mouthpiece which shall be cheap and simple in construction and which will contain a material absorbent of an antiseptic in such a manner that there shall be a free communication between the air within the mouthpiece and the whole surface of the absorbent material, whereby the antiseptic with which it is saturated can effectively maintain the purity of the air within the mouthpiece.

My invention therefore resides in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts for the above ends hereinafter fully specified, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of one form of my invention, Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the same.

Fig. 4: is a detail perspective view of the cupshaped piece of absorbent material. 5 is a perspective view of the inner shell detached. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a modified form of mouthpiece. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the shell of this modification detached. Fig. 9 is a side view of the'inner shell and wick in a further modification.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the outer shell, and 2 the inner shell, of the mouthpiece. In the modification shown in Fig. 1 the inner shell is attached to the outer shell by having a bayonet-fastening 3 with a ring 4, surrounding the outer shell. Between the inner and outer shell is inserted a cup-shaped piece of fabric or other absorbent material, '(shown at 5.) The inner shell is formed with longitudinal slots 6, through which the air can freely permeate to the space between the inner and outer shell in which is located the absorbent material 5, previously saturated with a suitable antiseptic liquid. The outer surface of the inner shell is also provided with longitudinal ribs 7 which engage the surface of the cup-shaped piece of absorbent material, so as to hold said piece away from the surface of the inner shell, so that the air can obtain free access to the same.

It will be understood that the inner shell instead of being made of metal, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, may be made of hard rubber or other suitable material. In the modification shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8 I have so shown the inner shell as made of hard rubber. It is formed with a thread 8 on the inside of a flange 9, which engages the threaded outer edge of the outer shell. The inner shell in this case is provided with round perforations 10 and has on its outer surface circular ribs 11, which engage the absorbent material in the same manner as did the longitudinal ribs in the former modification.

The essential features of both modifications are that the absorbent material shall be cupshaped and extend around the end of the inner shell, that the inner shell shall be perforated, so that the air from the interior thereof can have access to the absorbent material, and that the inner shell shall be provided with means for spacing said absorbent material therefrom, whereby the air from the interior of the shell shall have free access to the absorbent material. It will also be perceived that the absorbent material can be readily removed for the purpose of replacement by another piece; also, that notwithstanding that the air has freeaccess to the absorbent mate rial it is well protected from dust, and thus does not become unsightly through use.

In Fig. 9 I have shown a further modification in which the inner shell has a spiral series of projections 12, forming a spiral track for an absorbent wick 13. A spiral rib may also be used instead of the projections.

The most absorbent material possible is used for absorbing the antiseptic in order to likewise absorb the moisture of the breath.

I claim- 1. An antiseptic mouthpiece for telephones or the like, comprising an inner and outer shell, means for uniting the two, and a cupshaped piece of absorbent material between the shells,the inner shell being provided with means for spacing said cup-shaped piece therefrom, substantially as described.

2. An antiseptic mouthpiece for telephones or the like, comprising an inner and outer shell, means for uniting the two, and absorbent material between the shells, the inner .shell being provided with protuberant portions extending outwardly toward the outer shell, substantially as described.

3. An antiseptic mouthpiece for telephones or the like comprising an outer shell, an inner shell, absorbent material between the shells, and a ring around the outer shell having a bayonet-fastening with the inner shell, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WALTER WRIGHT.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS M. WRIGHT, Bnssns GORFINKEL. 

